Brown Rice and Kidney Bean Salad with Roasted Peppers, Apples and Sherry Vinaigrette

This flavorful whole grain salad uses multiple varieties of beans and vegetables to add beautiful color to the dish. Serve this salad as a side dish or even inside a wrap as a lunch entree. Chef Samuel developed this recipe for a high school foodservice audience.

To download a Spanish translation of this recipe click here.

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Ingredients

Brown rice

  • 2 cups brown rice, cooked                                                      

Sherry vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil                                                       
  • 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 Tbsp. tarragon, minced
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 3/4 cups (1-15 oz can) Red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup red pepper, roasted, peeled, diced
  • 1 cup cucumber, peeled and finely diced
  • 1/2 cup shallot, minced
  • 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
  • 1 Fuji apple, finely diced
  • 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, fresh, minced
  • Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups spinach, cleaned and torn
  • 1 cup almonds, sliced, toasted

Number of Servings : 6

Serving Size: 1 cup

This flavorful whole grain salad uses multiple varieties of beans and vegetables to add beautiful color to the dish. Serve this salad as a side dish or even inside a wrap as a lunch entree. Chef Samuel developed this recipe for a high school foodservice audience.

To download a Spanish translation of this recipe click here.

Directions

  1. For the brown rice: Put brown rice and water together in a pot with a lid. Use the ratio of 1½ cups of water to 1 cup of rice.
  2. Set the heat to maximum, and bring the rice and water to a boil uncovered.  Then put the lid on the pot, and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let the rice simmer for 20 minutes.
  3. Turn off the heat, and let the rice sit in the covered pot for another 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
  4. For the dressing: While the rice is cooking, combine the ingredients for the sherry vinaigrette. Adjust the seasonings with additional salt and pepper as necessary.
  5. Once rice is cool, combine all the salad ingredients except for the spinach.
  6. Add some of the dressing to moisten and let marinate for 45 minutes.
  7. Add the spinach and toss. Serve a spoonful of the salad and garnish with almonds.

Recipe developed by The Culinary Institute of America as an industry service to the Northarvest Bean Growers Association.